Modern times have led many video games to pack more content than necessary, seeking to meet a length quota that often hinders the experience.
I certainly have a weakness for short titles due to the lack of free time adulthood brings, but also because of my desire toenjoy concrete game adventures that know what and how they want them to be delivered.
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These versatile works of the genre are great for those who like more than just shooting.
There’s nothing more enjoyable than a title whose intention is clear and proposes elements and systems aimed at achieving that vision, rather than taking up extra hours to make it easier for users to justify their purchase.
Therefore, if you’re interested in games that get straight to the point without unnecessary detours, this functional adult with limited time recommends theseten best-of-all-killer,non-filler FPS campaigns.
10Boomerang X
An Intense and Interesting Twist
Boomerang X
Among the countless products fromDevolver Digitalthat deserve more attention than they get, I’ve finally found an excuse to recommendBoomerang X.
It’s a very niche, short shooter that’s tough to fit into most lists, but for this one,it’s perfect because it only lasts a couple of hours and is as intense as you’d imagine.
The idea of a boomerang you use both to shoot and propel yourself is entertaining and complex,featuring a high skill ceiling regarding platforming and aimingyou need to reach to deal with the game’s demanding difficulty.
The entire game is made up of waves of challenging enemies and increasingly vertical and expansive levels, presenting multiple threats with specific weak points that will require you to pay attention to dozens of on-screen elements to withstand the onslaught.
The story is completely irrelevant, and the aesthetics are immaculate, so your only concern is killing bugs.Boomerang Xis tremendous for de-stressing, and being able to mention it in an article comforts me a lot.
9Homefront
The Experience of Resistance
Just when I was starting to get tired of all shooters revolving around modern warfare,Homefrontcame along to fill a void I didn’t even know I had.
Saying that about a game that’s been criticized ad nauseam for its clichéd story and uninnovative mechanics must be a rather strange thing to read, butit completely satisfied my need for a small-scale shooter.
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I always liked its real-time narrative, probably the best part of the entire experience (it reminded me ofHalf-Life), but what kept me coming back wasthe feeling of fighting an army alone, slowly helping the resistance gain ground, no matter how unrealistic it sounded.
Truthfully, the entire title revolves around improbable circumstances, but I like it. In a context where practically everything points to realism,Homefront’s commitment to something fantastical, whether intentional or out of ignorance, wasa breath of fresh air.
8Syndicate
A Captivating Dystopia
After falling completely in love withDeus Ex: Human Revolution, I’m basically into anything like it, which explains whySyndicateis on this list.
It’s another game I know that didn’t receive the best reviews in the world, though it’s an interesting title that, in its process of exploring the blurred lines between humanity and technology in the future, presents an intense campaign that really draws you in.
When I recall the boss battles, facing them with futuristic weapons and abilities that border on magic, listening to its dubstep soundtrack at full volume, I can’t help but smile, because I remember beating it in two intense days becausethe game never gave me reasons to stop.
Maybe nostalgia is blinding me, but from the plot to the gameplay and even the themes it addresses,Syndicateis fascinating, even though it’s quite far from saying or showing anything different from what the genre was all about at the time.
7Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
The Series' Most Underrated Entry
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
I’m aware of what I said about modern warfare games, but if I don’t claimCall of Duty: Advanced Warfareas the most underrated game inthe franchise, I won’t sleep peacefully today.
It’s undeniable that the series was already showing signs of fatigue because of a static and almost archaic formula, butthis game’s five hours of campaign remain in my memory as some of the decade’s most interesting and adrenaline-pumping shooter experiences.
With each new chapter,Advanced Warfarerenews itself and focuses on unique contexts, changing biomes, mechanics, weapons, and objectives, so you never know what to expect from the next hour, aided by a story that feels more likeMetal Gear SolidthanCall of Duty.
It’s notthe pinnacle of the seriesor the genre, but when I think of shooters that invest every second they have into eye-catching sequences, it’s crystal clear to me thatCall of Duty: Advanced Warfareis a worthy recommendation.
A Classic That Never Ages
While FPS standards have changed substantially, there are games destined to never grow old, soBlackis a must-play for every fan of this type of game.
I played it at launch when I was young and recently as an adult, and despite never really understanding the plot,I can’t help but feel drawn to its vibrant levels and old-fashioned gunplay.
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It’s not a game for everyone due to how far the genre has come, but appreciating the interactive and destructible environments and the strategic placement of enemies makes you discover a completely captivating style of shooter.
Unlike your average title,Blackdoesn’t just rely on your aim,but on your understanding of the mechanics and the surrounding space, giving the game an unusual complexity that allows you to experience an intensity that differs from the average.
It jumps from one chapter to the next with only a couple of cinematics and obscure dialogue in between, so there are no obstacles.Blackis made to live out the fantasy of black ops, only through the lens of a bygone era.
5Wolfenstein: The New Order
Rewriting History
Wolfenstein: The New Order
I considerWolfenstein 2: The New Colossusto be the best game fromMachineGames, but in terms of being direct and to the point, there’s no better alternative thanWolfenstein: The New Order.
This wonderful reboot brought back to life an iconic IP that had been left behind, and it achieved this precisely by creating a brutal campaign with so many bullets, enemies, and explosions that it’s impossible to register it all in your mind.
Normally, for this type of title, the story plays a secondary role, butThe New Orderpresents a compelling plot that is interesting to follow and perfectly complements the gameplay, which is undoubtedly the focus of the entire work.
No level,section,dialogue, oreven tutorial feels out of place, as the title is designed with tremendous care and an exceedingly precise goal I hold dearly in my heart: kill as many Nazis as humanly possible.
Wolfenstein: The New Orderis one of the last couple of years' best shooters, and unlike its successor, it maintains a measured scale that allows it to remain intense throughout every second, thus being perfect for this list.
4Metro 2033
Immersive Survival
Metro 2033
All the games on this list tend to be concise and present more or less superficial stories, butMetro 2033is a totally different story.
Despite the game’s immaculate worldbuilding, with a strong emphasis on its characters and events,each episode plays a fundamental role in the journey’s development, which I would argue is the franchise’s most consistent adventure.
Taking on the role of Artyom and experiencing the difficulties of post-apocalyptic life is absurdly immersive, largely thanks to the game’s perfect balance of calm and narrative focus with action-packed moments that make everything feel relevant.
Every time you leave the safe havens, you experience an indescribable tension given the number of beasts rampaging underground, turning each encounter into a life-or-death situation that delivers a thrill few video games I remember can muster.
Metro 2033’s sequels are more refined and denser, but that’s why the series' first installment stands out here:because it’s the one that focuses most on the conflict with the mutants and how difficult it is to survive when you have so few tools to do so.
The Pleasure of Hell
Following in the footsteps of previous entries,DOOMisn’t the best of its subseries, but it’s the finest choice to make you feel immersed in hours of destruction and pure entertainment.
Most sequels to these installments, in attempting to offer more complex and mechanically robust experiences, end up feeling partially artificial,detracting from our ability to connect with the mechanics.
This is particularly true ofDOOM Eternal, but the 2016 installment is a masterclass in how to make a game where even the smallest detail fulfills its job to give you the greatest adrenaline rush.
No major plot pauses, no long cinematics, no extensive dialogue, no expansive levels filled with secrets, or anything like that:pure shooting and demon dismemberment is what you’ll see on this journey.
That doesn’t necessarily makeDOOMsuperior or inferiorto its peers, but it does make it the one with the least filler and the one that keeps your heart pumping the most, so I’m relieved to finally be able to put it above its successors in a category.
2Titanfall 2
An Unrepeatable FPS
Titanfall 2
Although it took me longer than I should have to finally playTitanfall 2, I can’t stop describing it asone of the century’s most underrated titlesever since.
Even though it’s an AAA title,Respawn Entertainmentgave us a campaign with zero seconds of filler, sacrificing length in favor ofa seamless stream of sequences where everything is absurdly wonderful and entertaining.
The platforming, traditional shooting, and mech sections blend perfectly into a constantly evolving plot, introducing unique characters, areas, and mechanics, never letting you stand still.
Titanfall 2takes risks by giving you several of the most epic sequences in video game history and never using anything similar again, which is incredibly brave, especially coming from a game with its production values.
To this day, I still haven’t experienceda campaign as exciting and intense as this one, and given the way things are going among big blockbusters, I sincerely believeTitanfall 2will remain a game that will never be repeated.
1ULTRAKILL
The Indie King of Shooters
If an indie game can position itself at the top of a list of so many incredible titles, even while still inearly access, I think there’s no greater demonstration of its immeasurable quality.
ULTRAKILLis the kind of title that renews my belief that indie titles will lead the way for future generations, as it’s complicated to conceive something this refined, creative, and profound even exists within the ecosystem.
With its pristine fusion of ingenious gunplay, fluid platforming, and fast-paced movement, coupled with unforgettable bosses and equally outstanding levels,you have a title that makes the extraordinary routine, reaching a level of grandeur that’s practically impossible.
Despite the game’s dense lore and dozens of discussions by the community about it,everything is told in a subtle and engaging way that invites you to delve as deeply into the game as you wish, as you can always decide to focus solely on the bullet-fueled carnage.
Thanks to its speed, complexity, and personality, I know for sureULTRAKILLis the best option if you want a title that never ceases to surprise you. You can play itmultiple times, and yet, Hakita’s creation will keep you falling in love with it.
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These are still excellent titles, but they fall short of absolute purity.
